Dr. Clarence Norman Sr, Crown Heights Reverend and Bed-Stuy Teacher, Dies at 85

A widely known and loved Crown Heights pastor and middle-school teacher in Bed-Stuy just passed away, says his church, The First Baptist Church of Crown Heights.

Reverend Dr. Clarence Norman, Sr. lived until the age of 85. He was known as a steadfast mentor for young members of the community.

“Today, we mourn the passing of our Pastor and founder of 62 glorious years, the Reverend Dr. Clarence Norman Sr.,” church officials write. ”He was a great man, full of the Holy Spirit, and many came to Christ through him.”

The reverend had served as a social-studies teacher at the Whitelaw Reid Junior High School and the Nathaniel Macon Junior High School in Bed-Stuy.

He is survived by his wife Ellen and their five children, including the former New York State Assemblymember Clarence Norman, Jr.

Current Assemblymember Diana C. Richardson, whose district includes Crown Heights, says in a statement that “Reverend Norman was and remains a beloved figure, and a pillar of the community we share. Through his ministry and his work in building opportunity for the residents of Crown Heights, Reverend Norman has built a legacy of love and respect that will long outlive his time on Earth.”

Richardson says she and her family attended Norman’s church for many years “We all looked forward to Sunday, knowing that Reverend Norman would deliver words that would linger in our hearts all week,” she says. “He took that ’Friendly Church on the Hill’ and built it into a community institution. He will never be forgotten. Never.”

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